First Community Bank names first NWA business board

Batesville-chartered First Community Bank announced four members Wednesday (May 24) of its inaugural business board of directors for the Northwest Arkansas market.

Ashley Harris is vice president of marketing and communications at Ozarks Electric Cooperative in Fayetteville. Before that, she worked with Mitchell Communications Group as a congressional liaison on Capitol Hill and with the University of Arkansas in community outreach, student recruitment and alumni relations.

Harris is a board member for several groups, including the Northwest Arkansas chapter of the Public Relations Society of America, Arkansas Children’s Hospital Foundation and Fayetteville and Springdale chambers of commerce.

Meredith Lowry is a patent attorney for Wright Lindsey Jennings in Rogers. She has assisted various companies in their efforts to obtain patent, trademark and copyright protections and has also worked with clients to protect those assets through online and in-store infringement.

Since 2019, Lowry has spearheaded WLJ’s initiative Woman-Run, a group dedicated to creating a network for women running businesses.

Nathan Ogden is the owner and president of Pick-It Construction of Fayetteville, a residential construction company. His work in the commercial, subcontracting and multifamily division has enabled him to take on projects not only in his home state but also in 15 others as well. Ogden grew up on a cattle farm in Hogeye, where he attended Prairie Grove High School. He graduated from the University of Arkansas with a degree in criminal justice in 2001 and then started Pick-It Construction in 2002.

He and his family own and operate Ogden Ranch, which raises Angus cattle and PBR bucking bulls.

Dr. Wesley Cox, section chief for UAMS Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine in Northwest Arkansas, is a Fayetteville native and Fayetteville High School alumnus. He received his bachelor’s degree in microbiology at Auburn University. Cox is a team physician for the Arkansas Razorbacks and is an orthopedic consultant for the LPGA Tour. He has operated on current members of the MLB, NFL, PGA, LPGA, USTA, Bassmasters/FLW, and USA Track and Field.

Cox holds 11 patents and has developed products for shoulder and elbow bracing and surgical implants and published a book on little league baseball injuries. Additionally, he is a consultant, advisor, and instructor for multiple orthopedic companies.

“On behalf of First Community Bank, I am thrilled to welcome our new business board members who bring a wealth of experience in diverse areas of expertise as we expand our footprint into the Northwest Arkansas region,” said Natalie Bartholomew, the bank’s Northwest Arkansas community president. “Each of their backgrounds and skillsets will help support our growth as a leading community bank.”

First Community Bank opened its first regional office late last year at 5100 W. Park Ave. in Rogers’ Pinnacle Heights development. The bank has 33 locations in Arkansas and Missouri and in 33 locations across Arkansas and Missouri and had assets of $2.56 billion as of March 31, 2023.